Purchasing your first meteorite should be an exciting experience, but there's a lot to consider! Whether buying one for a new collection or as a unique gift, it's important to know what to look for and how to make an informed purchase. This guide will walk you through the key characteristics of meteorites, the major types available, and tips for buying with confidence.

Bottom Line Up Front! If your primary concern is...

• Price: You should purchase an Ordinary Chondrite. These are the most common purchases for someone's first meteorite due to their low cost and accessibility. 
• Shape: You should purchase a uniquely shaped Ordinary Chondrite or Iron Meteorite. 
• Beauty: In the eye of the beholder, of course. My pick would be a sliced and etched Pallasite.
• Story: You should purchase an achondrite from a known source such as the Moon, Mars, or Asteroid 4 Vesta. Alternatively, you could purchase an observed fall with interesting circumstances like Peekskill, Valera, or others. 
• Scientific Significance: You should purchase a carbonaceous chondrite or a meteorite type with a low known total of discoveries. 
• A Gift: A simple ordinary chondrite is a tremendous gift. Alternatively, consider purchasing someone's birthday meteorite, although these can be much rarer. 

Our meteorite gift boxes are one of the most accessible ways to purchase your first meteorite! 

 

Key Features to Consider

Meteorites can take many shapes and forms! When buying a meteorite, understanding its characteristics can help ensure you get a genuine specimen that fits your interests and budget. You should first consider what features you care about in your meteorite. 

• Weight and Size: Meteorites are generally heavier than Earth rocks due to their high metal content. Some collectors want a large display piece they can place on their mantle or in their office, while others want smaller stones they can take places to share with others. Meteorites are typically priced by their weight in grams. 

• Classification: Meteorites are categorized based on their composition. Some types are more common and affordable, while others are rare and expensive. See the next section for a breakdown of these types. Some collectors focus on a specific type, while others try to collect examples of each type.

• Parent Body: Some meteorites have known parent bodies, like the Moon, Mars, or Asteroid 4 Vesta. It's exciting to look up into the sky and know where your meteorite began its journey.

• Aesthetic Appeal: Some collectors prefer specimens with well-defined fusion crusts, interesting shapes, or visible metal flecks. A meteorite may have a unique, out-of-this-world appearance, or it may look like an Earth rock on the outside that only reveals its secrets when cut.

• Fall Location: It's hard not to feel a connection with meteorites that fall close to home! Many collectors choose meteorites that have fallen in their home country or state. I have a special collection of meteorites that fell in my home state of Kentucky!

• Fall Date: There's something special about a meteorite falling on a date of significance! Many collectors strive to obtain a meteorite that fell on their birthday or anniversary. 

• Scientific Significance: While all meteorites are special, some provide unique insight into understanding the formation of celestial objects. For example, some carbonaceous chondrites (like Murray and Murchison) have amino acids that provide clues into the building blocks of life. 

• Provenance and Documentation: A trustworthy seller should provide information about where the meteorite was found, its classification, and the chain of provenance from discovery to your door. 

 

Major Types of Meteorites

Meteorites come in three primary categories, each with distinct characteristics and price ranges. There are several subcategories within these groupings. 

• Stone Meteorites: Making up ~94% of falls, stone meteorites are the most common type. 

  • Ordinary Chondrites: While no meteorite is ordinary, OCs are the most common type of meteorite found on Earth. They are composed primarily of silicate minerals like olivine and pyroxene, with small amounts of nickel-iron metal and chondrules—tiny, spherical grains that formed in the early solar system. Their composition provides valuable insights into the building blocks of planets and the history of our solar system.

  • Carbonaceous Chondrites: These dark, carbon-rich meteorites are like time capsules from the early solar system. They contain water, organic compounds, and even amino acids - the building blocks of life! Scientists love studying these space rocks for clues about how life might have started on Earth. These meteorites are often fragile and should be handled with care.

  • Achondrites: These stony meteorites lack chondrules and originate from differentiated planetary bodies. Some, like Martian and lunar meteorites, are extremely rare and expensive.

• Iron Meteorites: Making up ~5% of discoveries, iron meteorites likely originate from the cores of differentiated planetesimals or protoplanets that formed early in the solar system’s history. These hefty space rocks are mostly made of iron and nickel. They're like cosmic cannonballs! When cut and polished, many show off a beautiful criss-cross pattern called the Widmanstätten pattern. Collectors prize iron meteorites for their striking appearance and durability.

• Stony-Iron Meteorites: Accounting for only ~1% of meteorite discoveries, stony-iron meteorites are a mix of metal and silicate minerals. They are some of the most visually stunning meteorites. They are rare and usually priced higher.

  • Pallasites: Famous for their olivine crystals suspended in an iron-nickel matrix, creating a stained-glass window effect when sliced thin. These cosmic gems are not only visually stunning but also provide valuable insights into planetary core-mantle boundaries.

  • Mesosiderites: A complex mix of iron-nickel metal and silicate minerals, often showing a brecciated texture. Scientists believe mesosiderites may have formed from the collision of an asteroid's core with its crust, making them fascinating subjects for studying planetary formation processes.

 

Factors That Increase a Meteorite's Value

Some meteorites are more expensive due to unique characteristics, rarity, or special features. Here are some key factors that can drive up the price:

• Witnessed Falls: Meteorites that were seen falling and recovered shortly afterward are highly sought after. These often come with detailed documentation and even in-situ pictures from their discovery.

• Flight Orientation: Some meteorites maintain a stable orientation as they travel through Earth's atmosphere, leading to distinctive ablation features like a nose cone shape. These are rare and valuable.

• Unique Shapes: Odd or aesthetically pleasing shapes, such as teardrops, regmaglypts (thumbprint-like indentation), aerodynamic forms, or those resembling known objects, can increase desirability and price.

• Prepared Meteorites: Meteorites that have been cut into slices, polished, or etched to reveal internal structures (like the Widmanstätten pattern in iron meteorites) often fetch higher prices due to the added labor and enhanced visual appeal.

• Pristine Fusion Crust: A well-preserved fusion crust, formed during atmospheric entry, adds to the desirability of a meteorite. Pieces with an intact, fresh fusion crust are more valuable.

• Historical or Scientific Significance: Some meteorites are linked to important discoveries or scientific studies, increasing their value among collectors and institutions.

 

Buying with Confidence: Avoiding Scams and Finding Reputable Sellers

Since meteorites are valuable and sought after, there are scammers and misrepresented specimens in the market. Here’s how to buy with confidence:

• Purchase from Reputable Dealers: Look for sellers with a history of authenticity, positive reviews, and proper documentation. Organizations such as the International Meteorite Collectors Association (IMCA) and the Global Meteorite Association (GMA) provide some level of vetting for their members and maintain codes of professional ethics and responsibility.  

• Ask for Provenance: Reputable meteorite dealers generally track the provenance of their acquisitions to the best of their ability. While some meteorite finders are hesitant to be identified by name, most meteorites can be attributed to a specific geographic location and the series of dealers they transited through, where applicable. 

• Ask for a Certificate of Authenticity: Ensure that the seller certifies your meteorite as authentic. There is no formal process for this as a dealer, but what you're asking the dealer to do is stake their reputation that the meteorite is authentic based on their expertise. They do this by providing a signed certificate with a unique inventory number. 

• Avoid “Too Good to Be True” Deals: If a seller offers a "rare Martian meteorite" for an unbelievably low price, it's likely a scam.

• Take Care with Auction Websites: Websites like eBay are littered with Earth rocks masquerading as meteorites or sellers trying to deceive with intentional fakes. 

• Buy Within Your Budget: Meteorites range from affordable small chondrites ($<100) to high-end specimens worth thousands. Start with something small and affordable before jumping into the deep end!

• Educate Yourself: The more you learn about meteorites, the easier it will be to recognize genuine specimens and make informed purchases.

 

Considering your first purchase and have questions? Reach out!